The University of Maine men’s hockey team has been picked to finish tied for third in Hockey East this season in the preseason coaches poll released Thursday at the league’s media day in Boston.

“That’s very realistic,” said fifth-year Maine head coach Tim Whitehead, whose team opens Friday, Oct. 7, vs. Air Force at Colorado College.

Four teams received first-place votes and the voting was extremely close as only 15 points separated preseason favorite Boston College and fifth-place Boston University.

Boston College received 82 points and two first-place votes with New Hampshire second with 79 points and four first-place votes.

Maine and UMass Lowell had 71 points each and Maine garnered a pair of first-place votes. BU had a pair of first-place votes and 67 points.

Newcomer Vermont (47), Massachusetts (42), Providence (33), Northeastern (30) and Merrimack (18) round out the field.

“As you can see by the diversity in first-place votes, it’s difficult to predict who is going to finish where in the league due to the loss of players to the NHL. That’s fine. That adds to the excitement,” said Whitehead.

The NHL exodus began last year when BU freshman winger Chris Bourque signed a pro contract.

It continued this summer when Maine star goalie Jimmy Howard, Boston College left wing and Hockey East Player of the Year Patrick Eaves and UMass Lowell center and 26-goal scorer Ben Walter passed up their senior years to sign with Detroit, Ottawa and Boston, respectively.

Maine would have been picked higher if Howard had returned. Replacing him will be sophomore Matt Lundin, who appeared in nine games last season, and freshman Ben Bishop, a third-round draft choice of St. Louis.

“They never seem to lose a step in that position. And they have one of the best goaltending coaches around up there in Grant [Standbrook],” said UMass Lowell coach Blaise MacDonald. “I really like Maine. You can’t discount the players they lost through graduation. They were recruited walk-on types but they had very productive careers.

“But they return so many good players who can hurt you. [Michel] Leveille and [Greg] Moore are terrific players who can bring you out of your seat at any moment and [Derek] Damon is one of my favorites. He led the team in scoring last year. [Jon] Jankus is a great offensive player. They have a great makeup of depth and talent.”

In the Hockey East women’s preseason poll, coach Guy Perron’s Black Bear women are picked in a fourth-place tie with Connecticut.

New Hampshire is the favorite with six first-place votes and 55 points followed by Providence, with the other two first-place votes and 49 points.

Boston College is third with 43; Maine and UConn had 36 points; Northeastern received 26, Vermont 20 and first-year varsity program Boston University 15.

The Maine women open their season at home vs. Robert Morris on Saturday, Oct. 8.